uth of the harbour, which even at
spring-tides prevents large ships from entering, though there were
sufficient water on it to allow us to get over. No pilot came out, so
Captain Gale resolved to make a bold stroke, and to carry the brig in by
himself.

It was nearly high-water, and the breeze was favourable as we stood
towards the land. The sky and sea were blue and bright, with a line of
foam where the water ran over the shallower part of the bar. Dark rocks
and yellow sands were before us, with white-washed, flat-roofed houses,
and here and there a minaret or cupola of a mosque, and tall, slender,
wide-spreading topped date-trees scattered over the landscape; while
lower down, protecting the town, was a frowning castle or fort, with a
few vessels at anchor before it. A boat-load of officials, with very
brown faces, white dresses, and red caps, came off to inquire our
business, and get bucksheesh, as the Turks call such gratuities as they
can collect from travellers and voyagers. The captain could only reply
by showing a document in Moorish with which he had been furnished, and
repeating the name of Mynheer Von Donk, the Dutch merchant at the place,
to whom we were consigned. This, in the course of a couple of hours,
produced Mynheer Von Donk himself, to ascertain what was required of
him. I cannot pretend to say that all Dutch merchants are like him, for
if so, they must be a very funny set of people. He was very short and
very fat, with queer little sparkling eyes, and a biggish snub-nose, and
thick lips, and hair so long and stiff that his three-cornered hat could
scarcely keep it from starting out all round his bullet-shaped head. He
had on very very wide brown breeches; and very very large silver buckles
to his shoes; and a waistcoat of yellow silk, embroidered all over with
strange designs, and so ample that it almost superseded the necessity of
breeches; and his brown coat looked as if made with a due preparation
for the still further enlargement of its respectable owner. Mynheer
informed the captain that he could speak every language under the sun
like a native; but, as Peter remarked, then it must have been like a
native who had lived away from home all his life, and forgotten his
mother-tongue. We, however, made out that it was very necessary to be
cautious in our dealings with the Moors, as they were the greatest
thieves and rogues in the world, and that they would only desire an
opportunity of s